is a district of Tokyo that is home to the Buddhist Senso-ji Temple, dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. Pilgrims come from all Japan to pray and be amazed by the architecture: all made of wood and painted in bright red.
When I visited Asakusa, it was like a dream came true! This is my entry for the #SeeTheWorld contest and homage to Japan, its people and culture! (Shoutout to my friends Shinobu and Shizuya, who took me there!)
This set contains 5 models in different versions!
• Senso-ji
• Hozomon
• Kaminarimon
• Pagoda
• Asakusa temple grounds
I used pictures that I took myself to refresh my memory, and some from the internet. Also Google Maps to figure out the layout of every building, proportions and spacing. I sketched the details to get them right and understand the geometric bodies and intersections.
I used parametric software to model everything from scratch - it was pretty easy but tedious as there are many details (extrudes and cuts). Hovever, the shapes of the roofs were challenging as they are a double curve (non-planar). I finally figured them out with complicated 3D sketches and lofts.
This model set represents a dream come true: I visited Japan earlier this year, in April. This 3D printed set is not just the coolest travel souvenir, it is my tribute to Japan - I cannot be happier to share it with the world!
The idea of MiniWorld originated from a visually-impaired friend who asked me if I could use 3D printing to help her and others "see" the world - with miniature models, they can understand shapes and sizes of the most famous landmarks and travel with their hands.
All my things I model myself by hand and brain, please give credit. It's all about spreading culture!
• No supports needed (for halves)
• FDM, ABS 230°C
• Infill 15%,
• Layer height .35mm
8 models are included, in both support and support-free version:
• Senso-ji (normal and in halves)
• Hozomon (normal and in halves)
• Kaminarimon (normal and in halves)
• Pagoda (normal and by levels)
• Asakusa temple grounds (floor base for all, complete and sectioned versions)
Printing straight up on FDM requires support, so I figured out that by cutting the models in half and printing “lying on the flat area”, no support is needed. The tiny details are amazing. It’s almost impossible to tell it’s not a single piece once they are glued together. You'll find both the complete and halves versions of .STL files. I am hand-painting the models and I'm not done yet, I'll post pictures of the final result!
